WE ALL HAVE A STORY TO SHARE... IF NOT A STORY, AT LEAST A TINY TALE !!!

     

It feels amazing to have reached a milestone of 100 tales. Thank you for all your support in making this possible. Happy reading!!!

 ·  ·    He lived the moment; she lived to publish the moment. Years later, she did seek old treasures whereas his was already found.

 lived the moment; she lived to publish the moment. Years later, she seeked old treasures; whereas his was already found

·   He eventually became a bestselling author, yet the proposal written on a crumpled paper was his most defining work.He eventually became a bestselling author, yet the proposal written on a crumpled paper was his most defining work 

· 'What's this one for?' she asked. 'This one's for you; for just being you.' He gently placed the rose and walked away from the cemetery. It was their most special routine.

 ·The workaholic amassed a lot of wealth and built many a beautiful villa; yet none he could call a 'Home'.

·  The little girl looked at her father from a distance, in awe and admiration as a flock of kids rushed towards him, some shouting his name, some waving towards him, some jumping with joy at just the sight of him. To the world, the man was just another insignificant balloon seller, but to her, he was nothing short of a celebrity.

 ·   · In a parallel universe, they would have got married, had babies, and lived a life of bliss. But, today they lay beside each other, somewhere in the nondescript marshes, brutally slaughtered by their own parents.

In a parallel universe, they would have got married, had babies, and lived a life of bliss. But, today they lay beside each other, somewhere in the nondescript marshes, brutally slaughtered by their own parents· ·        Every time she changes her profile photo, she is bombarded with a flurry of appreciation within minutes. Yet her eyes always search for that ONE most precious 'Like'. If only heaven had access to Facebook.

Every time she changes her profile photo, she is bombarded with a flurry of appreciation within minutes. Yet her eyes always search for that ONE most precious 'Like'. If only heaven had access to Faceb· 'Will you miss me when I am away?' 'Obviously. More than you know; more than I'll show.' It was their customary Goodbye every weekend, before they went back to their respective spouses.

· Right since birth, all he wanted was to be famous. Sadly, stealing a gun and killing innocent children in the park was the path he chose.Right since birth, all he wanted was to be famous. Sadly, stealing a gun and killing innocent children in the park was the path he chose

·  He now travels far and wide, and eats the finest of cuisines around the world; yet his most cherished meals remain the roadside chaat, cutting chai, and Vada Pav that he ate at the end of a laborious day as an orphaned beggar.

·  She stormed out wanting alimony and custody of their two year old daughter. He just wanted peace of mind. By the time she came back to hand him the divorce papers, he had already committed suicide.

 · The sister still adores him from a distance. The mother still includes him in her prayers. Theirs used to be a happy family. But that was before he eloped.

 ·  It was raining heavily that morning. Two strangers rushed to hail a lone cab. That day, they didn't reach their destination, but a few pakodas, and an effortless conversation later, their journey became one.

  

·   She spent the entire day cooking a wide range of the finest of eateries. Some wondered whether the entire neighbourhood was being invited for dinner. But no, she was just expressing her love towards her son who was returning home that night, after six long months.

·  He loved her from a distance. Three years later, finally he mustered enough courage to express his feelings. The college farewell ceremony turned out to be a new beginning for their fairytale.

 ·  'You are the one I live for. You are the one I can happily die for.' The young soldier's love for his motherland was selfless and relentless, even in the sub-zero temperatures of Siachen.

·        He complimented her beauty daily as she wore the most exquisitely stylish dresses and the perfect make-up. But his eyes always found her the prettiest at 3 am, sleeping peacefully beside him, with zero makeup and unkempt hair, and with a faint smile on her lips

·   He complimented her beauty daily as she wore the most exquisitely stylish dresses and the perfect make-up. But his eyes always found her the prettiest at 3 am, sleeping peacefully beside him, with zero makeup and unkempt hair, and with a faint smile on her lips.

·  On his 30th birthday, his parents pestered him to get married. A part of him felt inconsolable pain and a part felt stinging rage, and he stormed off. Little did they know that in his heart, he was already married to a love long lost and never to return. 

· He leaned in closer and then paused, for he didn't want to complicate their bond. She experienced a surge of pain but also a tinge of relief. They had let the 'moment' pass, yet again.

  

· All her childhood memories came crashing upon her as she realized perhaps this was the end of a lovely association that lasted several years. Her midnight companion, her morning delight. She would truly miss Maggi a lot.

· A decade later, when he visited his village again, he saw a little girl sitting outside a tea shop playing with marbles. The familiarity of the face brought back memories of that fateful day when he had no choice but to bid goodbye to a person he loved, his first love, now the mother of the little girl in front of him.

· As soon as it rained for the first time, many guys went out on bike rides with friends, many couples went on romantic dates, and many kids played with paper boats. Yet no one thought of the poor kid who was rendered homeless due to a bolt of lightning.

· He learnt the guitar, and composed innumerable songs with the sole intention of impressing her. But looking back, he says he got the most satisfaction from playing popular Bollywood songs for the orphaned children every Sunday afternoon.

· As he waited for an auto, he tried his best to navigate his umbrella to avoid getting wet in the torrential rain... only to be left cursing as a car zoomed by, splashing muddy water all over his new white shirt.

· He narrated their story to her, yet again... The first time they met, their first walk in the rain, their first kiss, their wedding, the ups and downs through their marriage, their 40th anniversary... Everything except the accident six months ago that put her in this comatose state.

· Absence had made their heart grow fonder, or so they thought. It was only when they met after ages that they realized they preferred the absence.

  

· She spent days and nights creating the best personalized gift for his birthday, only to see it get misplaced by the courier company... She then travelled thousands of miles to surprise him, only to find him celebrating with another woman.

· The kid slept peacefully holding his mother's hand, blissfully unaware of the riots, bombings, and killings going on the streets outside. Somewhere else in the world, another kid was being trained to become a suicide bomber.

· Their favorite songs changed, their habits evolved, their mode of expression became subdued... But their love transcended eras, still remaining strong even after 35 years.

· For him, the sole motivation for moving to the US was 'to run away from memories' of his ex-girlfriend, now about to be married to someone else... Better career progression opportunities, higher salary, and a luxurious lifestyle never cropped into his mind.

· Years ago, he wanted to enroll his daughter into one of the prestigious schools of the city, but was humiliated due to lack of ability to provide donations. That day he told her, "the education system may be for the rich, but learning is for all. Hard work will help you make it large." Today, she is a well-respected entrepreneur, running more than 200 schools across the country, providing quality education to poor kids with desire to learn.

· He tried writing a 'TinyTale' for her but couldn't decide what to focus on. Should he write about their indispensable friendship, or their wonderful moments together, or her myriad traits that he admired, he wondered. Eventually he gave her a blank diary to capture priceless memories of their subsequent outings.

· Waking up her husband and kids. DONE. Cooking food for them. DONE. Washing clothes and cleaning the house. DONE. Listening to in-laws tantrums. DONE. Listening to kids' demands once they are back. DONE. Listening to husband's work-related frustrations. DONE... Years passed by; no one heard her. If only empathy was a two-way street in the traditional Indian society.

· No matter how busy the schedules are, the 'three musketeers', as they were known in college, made sure they met at least once every six months to celebrate their friendship, to reminisce the old times, and to bring back the spark in their mundane lives... Today marks the 20th anniversary of their friendship.

· Time machine does exist, for it took them just ten seconds to go back to the good old school days to relive events that happened a decade ago... the first crushes they had, the teachers they hated, the pranks they played, the banter they shared, and much more.

· July 2012: "You are such a nerd."

   July 2015: "You are such a savior. Every single time."

   From mere acquaintances to close friends, in three years, they had come a long way.

  

· "There's no place for me in this world. I should have been born in a different era when people were nicer," exclaimed the man who was looted and backstabbed by the same folks who had been recipients of his generosity and kindness for more than a year now. 

 · The raging thunderstorms outside aptly and vividly captured the turmoil of her heart. If only he knew. If only he could sense. If only!

· Throughout the summer, people around him couldn't stop raving about the Indian Premier League.. He feigned interest but all this time, the purist in him was counting days to the ultimate cricketing contest - The Ashes, daily hoping it would be as nail-biting as the one that took place exactly a decade ago.

  

· They made a promise to live a lifetime in every heartbeat and make every moment of togetherness a memory to cherish. His last stage cancer had helped them bond like never before.

· "Did you like the gift?" she asked.. "Yes, it is perfect" he replied with a hug. Little did she know that her company and spending time with her was the REAL gift.

· She lost faith in humanity on her fifth birthday, as her inebriated 'uncle' derived pleasure from touching her private parts. His political clout ensured his acquittal while the little girl was scarred for life.

· Exhausted after yet another day of unproductive work, unfinished deliverables, and unheard concerns, the only solace in her life was the unarticulated laughter, unsynchronized movements, and unconditional love of her baby.

· His eyes met with the prettiest girl in the pub. Some smooth lines were all it took to get them talking. And a few Vodka shots later, conversations flowed like wine and it felt as if they had known each other forever. That's when he noticed her ring.

· All he cared about was her happiness, and so did she. Her self-obsessed nature meant that his selfless affection went unrequited.

· On the third Sunday of every month, he cleaned his cupboard. Looking at old personalized gifts brought back bittersweet memories. As he drank in loneliness that afternoon, 'happiness is fleeting', he mused yet again.

· As his social life blossomed and he became 'forever busy' for her, she realised he spent time with her earlier only because it was a convenient avenue to kill time. Only when she walked away did it hit him that losing her was his biggest loss.

·  That night, they made love with ignited passions for they knew it was their only night together. Next day, he would again be thousands of miles away, protecting the borders, not knowing when or IF he would return.

· Today morning, the baby uttered her first words 'Papa'. Her deaf and dumb father leapt with joy, elated that his daughter was able to sense his love and affection, even though it was just through touch and expressions.

· The perfect chai on a rainy day, the beautiful conversations on a windy evening, the long, unending walks on a starry night. So many priceless memories associated with the place, that it was no surprise to many when they eventually decided to exchange rings at Marine Drive.

·  "Just look at her. Always gets all the attention in the world, wherever she goes."
"You have me. Isn't that enough?"

She smiled, knowing he was right.

  

· One of his goals this year was to learn to say NO. And he did. He said NO to his dear family, he said NO to his close friends, he said NO to his hobbies. He learnt to say NO to almost everything. If only he had applied at work, if only he cared about finding the right balance in life.

  

· Through his thoughts, he was a visionary. Through his actions, he was exemplary. A man who took India to great heights, a man committed to nation-building till his last breath. My mind goes back to a day three years ago when he had delivered a lecture at my alma mater, and inspired me to be a better person.

· "I don't need to dream anymore. My reality is way more beautiful than my dreams," she exclaimed holding her newborn baby, with the love of her life sitting by her side. It was the perfect family moment.

· He always wanted their last memory to be special. He now has no regrets about parting ways with her. For he is sure that memory of the perfect day will keep him alive and happy for a long time, despite her absence.

· With a friendship band in his hand, nervous hope in his heart, and twinkle in his eyes, he waited for his crush to arrive in school. Asking her to be his friend was his biggest achievement in life.

·"It seems that you have everything in life. But are you happy?"

"There are days when I am. There are days I am not. I guess I am just learning to make peace with it."

 "Getting what will make you happy?"

 "The answer is never a what. It is always a WHO." he replied, as his mind went back into a trance.

· "How was your week?"

"Oh come on, don't ask. It's been so crazy. Putting almost 16 hours a day."

 "Oh damn, that's a lot. Trying to close a big deal, is it?"

 "Ah, I wish it was something that significant." He sighed, and resumed work on the 33rd iteration of his mundane deliverable.

· "Hey, sorry for asking. But you seem upset. Are you alright?"

The stranger nodded and said "yes" in a feeble voice. I wasn't convinced and asked her again, "do you mind sharing? I can be a good listener." And she did. For more than two hours, she went on and on, till she finally managed to find the lotus in the muck.

 "You are truly an angel." she said when we parted. And I smiled.

· At the traffic signal, daily I see a little girl of about ten, selling pens, notebooks, flowers - a different thing each day. Today as I bought the Indian tricolor from her, she said, "Sahib, you won't see me from tomorrow. A family will be paying for my education." I wished her all the best, happy that humanity still exists in this world.

· "Goodbye!" she said, as their lips parted. It would be six months before they can see each other again. Yes, there's always a Skype or a Viber, but somehow their minds recounted the countless couples who couldn't bear the pangs of pain of a long distance relationship, who changed and eventually drifted apart.

  

·'You look visibly uncomfortable. What's wrong?'

'Haha, nothing. Just that the music is too loud for my liking.'

 'Aww, let's go for a walk, and then maybe you can come over to my place later for a while?'

 He was snapped out of the wonderful daydream when the girl started gloating how her boyfriend is just perfect.

· On her last day in town, he had so much to say but all that came out was a stammer 'all the best'. Thousands of words remained unsaid, hundreds of desires remained unspoken; yet she knew. She sensed it all, gently held his hand and said, "You are the sole reason for my smile. Stay in touch!"

· 'So, which is your most favorite poem?' And his mind drifted back 6 years to the girl he had written it for. After he lost her, he was sure he would never fall in love again, but now, to his fiancé, he replied, 'I know that my most favorite poems will be the ones I write for you. On every birthday of yours. On every anniversary of ours. Love you till the end.’

· When he was a child, he hugged his mother daily post dinner and thanked her for all the efforts she put in being the perfect mother and homemaker. In return, the mother always asked him about his day and eagerly heard his mundane stories. Fifteen years have gone by, yet these tiny habits still continue to define and strengthen their bond.

· 'What is the value of your management education if it's not used to run educational institutions, hospitals, start-ups, and non-profits in our country?' His inspiring speech received a thunderous applause and soon after, he left the venue, smoking a Cuban cigar in his German car to meet a European client, hoping to crack yet another million dollar deal for his American company.

  

· 'I'll quit. I can't handle this anymore!' she banged her desk, in utmost frustration. That's when she was distracted by yet another email that read 'Urgent'. And out came her prompt reply, 'Sure, will take care of it.' As she burnt the midnight oil, she realized that in her quest to manage upwards (boss), sadly, she had forgotten how to manage inwards (self).

·  'I want to be better than everyone else.'

 'I want to be the best I can be, and better than how I was yesterday,'

 Both individuals became extremely successful in life, and while the world lauded the former more, the latter was admired and respected more.

  

 · He kept browsing through her Facebook profile, looking at her old photos, remembering the good times. He picked up the phone a few times, wanting to call her, but just couldn't as her words 'Do not try to contact me again' reverberated in his ears. A perfect bond had withered away, and it was all his fault. 

· 'How can you forget my favorite song?'

'I clearly remember the smallest of expressions on your face, 
the innocence in your eyes, and the tiniest of details of our memories. But if you ask me your favorite song or color, I'll falter.'

 He had the knack of impressing her with the right words.

 ·  'People around me are just not inspiring.'

'I hear you. You can either continue to crib about it, or you can choose to become the ideal inspiration for others who look up to you so that they don't have to face a similar frustrating situation. The choice is yours.' A dad's advice is often the best advice.

· He loved her immensely, yet convinced her conservative father to marry her off to the person she truly loved. He had dreamt of playing a lead role in her life, but realized it's sometimes more important to play a pivotal supporting role.

· She changed her home, her car, her phone, and everything else that reminded her of the past. Exactly two years after her divorce, she had finally decided to move on.

·        She changed her home, her car, her phone, and everything else that reminded her of the past. Exactly two years after her divorce, she had finally decided to move on

· He wanted to escape the hardships of poverty and ran away to Mumbai to give direction to his big, bold dreams. After six months of living on the streets, going hungry for days at a stretch, working as a waiter during day and as a watchman at night, he enrolled himself in a local college and five years later found himself a job in the biggest Indian conglomerate, earning more in a day than what his father earned in a lifetime.

· Though he considered himself a man without dreams and ambitions, his luck and his loved ones' blessings ensured he got all the success anyone could possibly think of - from a Harvard MBA to being a bestselling author. Today, on his fortieth birthday, he opens his autobiography with the quote, "Sometimes life serendipitously carves out a beautiful path for you. You just have to enjoy the ride.”

· 'Ah, that's a really big fish!" he exclaimed excitedly, as he read the name again. 'One per day'; that's how the vigilante worked. After killing close to 25 murderers, next in line was a serial rapist.

· 'Why do people expect us to make sense all the time?'

 'Yeah, that's sad! Life should be about being with people that you can be silly and random with, who will appreciate you FOR how you are, and not DESPITE how you are.'

 'Yes, like you.’

· 'Can we bring home a Ganesha idol?' the little girl once asked her parents. It's been ten years now, and the Muslim family has maintained the tradition, fervently following all the rituals of the festival. When asked why, her father said, 'Ganeshotsava is religion-agnostic. If only we celebrated all festivals without a religious undertone. Harmony and peace between all religions and communities will become a reality.’

· 'Lot of love and pampering, soulful hymns, and mouth-watering Modaks await.', the chubby Ganesha beamed, as he got ready for his annual vacation, only to be welcomed by the cacophony of latest item numbers, blasphemy of drunk dancers, one-upmanship of Pandals, and more.

· 'At times, I travel in trains and buses because it helps me stay humble and connected to the people I am serving.' said the CEO of an organization with close to 100 crore annual turnover, who had also pledged 50 percent of his wealth to charity.

· She knew his phone unlock code, the date of their most precious memory. Years later, his password remained the same, but the memory was overwritten by his wedding on the same date, to another woman.

· "You two used to be very close and now you hardly talk. What happened?” her fiance asked her, with curiosity. Her heart wanted to confess 'unrequited love’; but what came out instead was the clichéd "we moved cities and just got busy with careers and life.”

  

· As he came running towards her with the manuscript of his debut novel in hand, her mind went back twenty five years ago to a day when he had scribbled his first alphabet. "I am the world's proudest mother," she said.

  

· 'I am feeling so stressed I'd die. There's just so much stuff to get done.'

 'I can totally understand. Try diverting your mind.'

 And, so he did. His mind drifted to thoughts of her, beautiful moments spent with her, and his lips broke into an everlasting smile. All was well again.

  

· Daily he came across familiar faces: a disgruntled uncle reading the news, a teenaged boy texting continuously, a middle-aged woman chatting with her little girl sitting beside, an old woman nursing her tired knees, and so on. Little did they know that they would soon feature in his travel blogs and chronicles. Truly, strangers can captivate our attention so vividly and inspire us in myriad ways.

· 'Guilty' was the unanimous decision even before the trial began. The vehement, eloquent speeches of the state prosecutor coupled with the biases of the media strengthened the decision even more. If only they were willing to hear his side of the story - the truth about what happened that night.

· 'Time is running out,' he said frantically. 'Try to forget me,' she responded calmly, assuming he was referring to her parents' plan to marry her off through the arranged marriage route. If only she knew that he had just a few months to live, and it was she who would eventually need to forget him.

  

·  Boss: 'Figure out what excites you the most and try to carve out a niche for yourself.'
Employee: 'Everything that we do is very interesting and diverse. It's just the people I have issues with.’

  

· 'There is so much focus on being wealthy, but hardly anyone wants to be known for their kindness. You can change the mindset; the world needs another Mother Teresa,' he spoke with passion, at the Philanthropy Summit. Somewhere in heavens, his parents smiled, proud their son had grown up to be such a nice person.

· 'You are so matured for your age. Such a grown up,' they proudly complimented their eleven year old daughter. She smiled but deep down, she wished her life was carefree like her friends' at school, and she didn't have to create floral garlands and run around trying to sell them on festive occasions.

· 'I am feeling so bored today. Let's go watch a movie.'

'Which one? Shaandaar?'

 'I don't mind. But it's got pretty bad reviews.'

 'Yeah, but if we can support a regressive, corrupt, underperforming Government because of lack of options, why not a movie!!!’

·  She uploaded a picture on Facebook and the flurry of Likes began. A few hours later:

 '500 Likes again. Miss Popular you are!'

 'Haha. Thank you. But there is 1 that really matters and it feels incomplete without that.'

 He fiddled with the phone, opened her profile, Liked the pic and asked, 'Do you feel complete now?'

 Her smile said it all.

·   'In today's corporate world, you need to be shrewd and a sweet-talker to succeed.'

'I don't think so. I let my work do the talking.’

· 'I will defeat you today,' he challenged me as usual. Sometimes he won, sometimes he lost. Yet his indomitable spirit, relentless tenacity, and endless perseverance was at display each time. Today, on his 20th birthday, all I can say is, 'you will not win every game you play, but do keep the ambition and spark alive and you will succeed in life.’

· 'You are putting such long hours daily. Don't you feel exhausted?'

‘Actually no. When you love what you are doing, the joy and motivation comes from within...'

 While he truly meant what he said, he was also relieved that Friday had arrived.

· 'Hey congrats! So, when's the big day?'

'Two months from now.' She paused for a moment and then 
added, 'I don't want to get married.'

 'Then why are you? Follow your dreams. Go abroad, have fun in life. You always have the choice of walking away.'

 'Life isn't a Bollywood movie. Sometimes you don't.’

· 'Men with beards look so matured and handsome,' she had said. To impress her, he started growing one. Yet eventually she fell for him not for his looks, but for his innocent charm and the way he cared for her, often going out of the way just to make her smile.

· 'Why are you so silent? Seems like we have nothing to talk today,' she said, feeling disappointed.

 'Haha, nothing like that. I am just soaking in the moment. It seems so perfect walking next to you, holding your hand, enjoying the cool breeze, and wishing the day never ends.’

· Every year, his mother would make mouth-watering sweets and snacks during Diwali. This year, the little boy wanted to help out. He woke up early, worked diligently for two hours without interruption, then called his mother and said, "I wanted to surprise you." In his hand was a beautiful sketch of his mother making all the wonderful savories with 'Thank you, Ma' written below.

·  ‘100 tales, wow! But not a single tale has crossed 100 Likes. Does that bother you?’

‘I won’t deny that I haven’t dreamt of it. But to be honest, what matters more is receiving genuine appreciation. So, my only hope is that a few of my tales have made people happy or nostalgic or touched their heart. Because, without that, 100 is just another number...'

To be continued...